Behind the Scenes on Upcoming Stickle Road Improvements

It’s a fact. BC is a heck of a popular place and our highways and byways are getting busier and busier. What should be a simple left turn can sometimes take a long, long time to make (not to mention big back-ups for folks in line behind.) We often need to make changes to some of those busier routes in order to keep travellers moving safely and smoothly, which is exactly what is happening on Highway 97 at Stickle Road in Vernon. Work is currently underway to improve safety, mobility and access along this stretch of the highway, one of the busiest north-south connectors in the province.

But wait! There’s more. (A lot more, actually.)

On top of adding separated and protected left turn lanes off Highway 97 at the Stickle Road intersection, we are also connecting the south end of Stickle Frontage Road with 20th Street and working on a number of restoration and enhancement opportunities along the BX Creek drainage channel.

Above and Beyond in Environmental Care

We’re taking extra care to reduce our environmental impact on and around the project site. In addition to reducing our construction footprints wherever possible we are also:

Carrying out bird surveys ahead of any clearing

Reducing the width of clearing and grubbing areas where possible

Installing silt fencing along embankment toes to prevent siltation

Capturing and relocating amphibians ahead of construction

Scanning for amphibians when laying out geogrid and geotextile fabrics on soft grounds

Placing rip rap and small berms in the creek channel to minimize erosion

We’re also working with Ducks Unlimited on their property downstream of the project to create several new wetlands and restore the functionality of the lower end of BX Creek adjacent to and leading into Swan Lake.

So – no matter if you are a driver, pedestrian, fish or fowl – this project has something great in store for you. Looking for more information about this project? The Stickle Road Project website has tonnes of great information for you. Do you have a question about this project, or any other work the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure does? Let us know in the comments below.

Thanks for writing about Stickle Road intersection and 20th street extension project. Just attended pre-construction meeting and visited site today. That project will be great for enhancing mobility and safety in the intersection.